The two superpowers are seeking further dialogue despite differences over issues such as Iran, Taiwan, AI and trade.
Published September 25, 2026
U.S. President Donald Trump has thrown Chinese leader Xi Jinping a state dinner featuring a tech-rich guest list as well as a slew of billionaires, Washington power brokers and business leaders, the kind of celebration that most excites the president, who is known for having a blast hosting parties.
A dinner on Thursday night concluded a day of talks between the two leaders. This is President Xi’s first visit to Washington in more than 10 years, and the summit is the second meeting between the leaders of the world’s two largest economies this year.
President Trump earlier Thursday hailed his “great meeting” with Xi as the two superpowers seek greater dialogue despite differences over issues such as Iran, Taiwan, AI and trade.
“President Xi and I both understand that we represent different systems, but the bonds between our peoples are enduring and we have never been closer,” Trump said during a toast Thursday night, according to the Associated Press.
President Trump added, “Together, we can continue to build relationships that promote prosperity and security for future generations.”
President Trump is doing everything he can to impress Xi during the Chinese leader’s three-day visit to Washington, with the US president praising Xi’s close personal relationship even as he denounced the leading Democratic candidate as a “communist” ahead of November’s midterm elections.
Mr. Xi and Mr. Trump discussed tensions over Taiwan, trade and artificial intelligence during business hours, even as a First Amendment battle over media access was unfolding in the White House. But while Trump chose to focus his public appearances on Thursday afternoon on giving Xi updates on the White House, including giving Xi a tour of the presidential Marine One helicopter and the new helipad built for it, attention soon turned to the extravaganza of the lavish meal.
At one point, President Trump invited dinner guests to tour the grounds of a new ballroom being built nearby. Construction projects are a frequent sideshow for a president focused on rebuilding Washington’s physical infrastructure.
In his toast, President Xi said, “President Trump has vowed to make America great again,” and “China is fully committed to achieving the rejuvenation of a great nation.”
“There is no doubt that these two goals are ambitious and mutually reinforcing,” Xi said.
Attendees included OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, and French luxury goods company LVMH CEO Bernard Arnault.
The dinner came after the president took the unusual step of personally greeting Xi and his wife when they arrived at Joint Base Andrews outside Washington on Wednesday. Typically, the president waits for guests to arrive at the White House before giving a formal welcome.
